TMBA 214: 10 Predictions For 2014 and Beyond

As we approach DCBKK, we wanted to have a little chat about our predictions for the future of business as we know it. There’s a shift that’s slowly happening as we progress and we’re starting to see a massive rise in the growth of location independent, professionally run businesses.

Kaiser Soze himself is hanging with Ian and I for a super fun discussion.

What’s the name of the DC’er-owned business mentioned early in the podcast?

Brazilianlifestyle

Starting a business is today’s market was easier than 2005, by a long shot. However, we’re building these businesses in a far deeper sea of information. Therefore it is much easier to become lost at sea and really travel sideways and travel sideways quite steadily into thinking you’re making progress.

What do you guys think of the necessity of a road map against that just do it and it will happen mentality??

Mike Gilliland

Thanks for the mention! I see a round of Vodka tonics and apple shishas in your collective futures.

Plugging in to the Saigon network was a huuuge advantage for us. Problems that would have taken us years to work out on our own ended up costing us a couple of minor hangovers after a few late-night business discussions with Jon and Dan. Results would have been much different had we not come to such an amazing hub of creative and motivated people.

Adam at The Green Microgym

I’m also interested in finding out more about the kick starter/alibaba business that Jon mentioned he’s advising.

Both Saigon and Chiang Mai have been amazing for us. Meeting all the DCers and cooking in this entrepreneurial soup, so to speak, has been a huge factor in our business’ growth. It’s not just the insights, it’s also the attitude that these people have about everything in life – it’s contagious!

I’m actually really curious about the Alibaba/Kickstarter hybrid you guys mentioned. Could you post a link? Seems like few entrepreneurs are delving into the technology and electronics product field, but I think many would like to if the engineering and production aspects were more accessible. A site like this could really help bridge the gap.

Jim Wilson

You’ll probably enjoy this TED talk, which discusses another angle of “digital currency”. Basically, big brands like Starbucks and Nike, are embracing it as well. For example Starbuck has Star Points, where people can pay straight from their phone with points they’ve either ‘bought’ with dollars or earned.

The TED talk didn’t discuss it, but I think that sort of thing is huge because 1) Starbucks is essentially getting paid WAY before they deliver the product, thus they have the ability to act as a bank for the collective sums of money. (i.e. They can invest the millions of dollars that their customer’s have collectively exchanged for Star Points.)

And 2) companies that use their own currency potentially give themselves more flexibility with regard to accounting and tax issues, since US Dollars aren’t involved in the transaction. Admittedly, I have not yet researched that issue so I may be wrong. Interesting none-the-less.

Hey Jim thank you so much for that and for the helpful link. I’ll check it out. Love the idea of alternative currencies in general… the relationship between “value” and “money” has always been more complex that more basic currencies express

I agree that keeping an comprehensive tool kit and getting to work vs a road map, now realizing, aka a ‘blueprint mentality’, will get you further. That said, you should constantly learn from your own results, intuitively of course, and set sail from there!

We’re gonna relaunch in a few weeks and I’ll keep you guys posted. It will be a total makeover.

If you have a hardware product you’re interesting in working on using HWTrek, please let me know.

Runner

Dan, Here’s how to solve your world phone problem. Forget the traditional phone # for voice and text messages. In the future everything will be over data.

Already there is a really good solution for world-wide text messages, Threema. It allows you to text with people anywhere in the world (you just need wifi or data on any cheap local SIM card, the phone # doesn’t matter) and it’s end to end encrypted.

I’m getting family set up on Threema before setting off abroad. I’m still working on a good voice solution, but it’ll also be via data too, some kind of voip For now, Jitsi, Facetime, Skype, CSipSimple are decent options.